Jamia varsity area turns into war zone over CAA

Petrol bombs targeted police personnel, ordinary citizens and the media as a raging mob that seized parts of south Delhi refused to let go. Despite a police flag march in the Jamia Nagar area, and tear gas used to disperse stone pelting protesters, five hours since demonstrators turned violent and clashed with police, anger still seethes.

A violent mob continues to clash with a large contingent of police personnel hurling stones at the media. Jamia metro station area has turned into a war zone.

In fact protests are set to spill over to central Delhi as students union have requested all students and citizens of Delhi to assemble at the Delhi Police Headquarters, ITO to ensure that “the undeclared emergency in Jamia is lifted immediately.” Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students were asked to assemble at Sabarmati Dhaba at 8.30pm, the note issued by the union said.

Residents and commuters in the heart of the national capital were seen running for their lives as the raging mob of almost 1,000 people protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Sunday.

At least five buses were set ablaze or damaged, besides various cars and a bike that were targeted by the mob. Two fire officials were injured in stone pelting as protests against the newly enacted Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, that seized parts of south Delhi for almost an hour as arsonists vandalised and stone pelting mob ran amok threatening residents.

Jamia students were not involved in the brawl, the varsity union promptly announced.

Meanwhile, the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has been shut down till Jan.5 after violence erupted in the university late on Sunday night, in protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

AMU students mounted a violent protest against the police crackdown on students in Jamia Milia in Delhi.

Cops used tear gas shells and lathi-charged students to disperse the mob.

Angry policemen were also seen breaking the motorbikes parked outside the AMU campus.

Additional forces have been rushed in from adjoining districts. Rapid Action Force has also been deployed in the campus.

According to reports, a large number of students had collected outside the administrative block late on Sunday evening and pelted stones at the police. The protestors shouted abusive slogans against the police.

Efforts to pacify the AMU students by the AMU officials proved futile and the agitationists continued to pelt students.

Two policemen alongwith a senior police and several journalists were injured in the violence, according to reports.

Senior police officials have reached the AMU and firing was reported from inside the campus.

Earlier, AMU students vandalised the area at Chungi gate and some vehicles were also set on fire.

Aligarh had been simmering since Friday when the district authorities ordered a shutdown of Internet services in the district.

In a bid to quell the mounting protes across the country the Union government on Sunday signalled its willingness to discuss objections to the CAA as allies who backed the law in Parliament forced it to rethink on certain provisions. The agitation in the Northeastern states has raised belated reservations, and showed no sign of abating.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday signalled that the government is willing to discuss about the newly-enacted law. The Congress, however, took the view that the government’s move is aimed at taking the steam out of the agitation. Shah’s assurance came after three developments: One, the Janata Dal United (JDU) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed a rethinking.

Two, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) announced it will challenge the law in the apex court.

And three, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma raised “concerns” days after supporting the legislation in Parliament.

Shah said at an election rally in Jharkhand that the government will listen to Meghalaya’s demand to “change something” in the law.

Resmi Sivaram / Agencies